Columbia Mall shooting prompts gun control talk

The deadly shooting at the Columbia Mall Saturday has led to some hand-wringing in Annapolis.

Last year, the General Assembly passed one of the toughest gun control laws in the country, but is it enough?

Two dozen gun-related bills were filed before the shooting. Most toughen penalties, but the consensus is: Let's see how the new law works before making changes.

Debate over gun control overshadowed just about everything else in Annapolis last year, but in the end, the governor signed one of the most restrictive packages of legislation in the country.

But none of those restraints were enough to prevent the deadly shooting at the Columbia Mall on Saturday.

Darion Aguilar, 19, legally purchased a 12-gauge shotgun. He had no criminal record or history of mental illness that authorities discovered until after the shooting.

Why he killed Brianna Benlolo and Tyler Johnson before turning the weapon on himself is still under investigation.

While the tragedy does have some legislators contemplating what, if anything to do next, Senate President Mike Miller is leery of more gun control.

"We've done all that we are going to do. As a matter of fact, we are ahead of most other states," Miller said.

Although gun control advocates concede there is no desire to revisit the issue, many argue the new tougher laws did make a difference in the Columbia Mall shooting. It prevented Aguilar from even considering the option of buying an assault weapon and more than 10 bullets in a clip. Tightening the new law is not on anyone's radar.

"It will be difficult this year and the argument will be. We just passed this huge bill last year. Let's see how it works," Sen. Brian Frosh said.

Police found Aguilar's journal. They said it expresses some general unhappiness about his life and said that he knew he had mental health issues.

Some legislators wonder if the state had beefed up its mental health laws and programs whether red flags would have been raised early in this case.

"What we can do is prevent people with mental health problems from having access to fire arms and get them the help they need," Delegate Michael Smigiel said.

Gov. Martin O'Malley expressed doubt that more laws are the answer, but didn't rule out a legislative solution.

"It's hard to imagine how any law would prevent things like this from happening. That doesn't mean you'd stop trying," O'Malley said.

Police said Aguilar's handwritten journal offered no insight into whether he knew the victims.

No firearms bills have been introduced since Saturday's deadly mall shooting. Gun control advocates said the new gun law is working and should be a model for other states and the federal government.

Images: Columbia Mall shooting

Images: Columbia Mall shooting

Authorities said crude explosive devices were discovered in a gunman's bag following a shooting that killed three people and injured several other people on Saturday morning.

Officials said officers were on the scene within minutes of receiving 911 calls about a shooting at the Columbia Mall.

Howard County General Hospital Executive Vice President and COO Jay Blackman said the hospital's emergency operations plan was put into action.

Police said Ring Road, the interior road highlighted in red, remains closed at because of the ongoing investigation. Little Patuxent and Governor Warfield parkways, the exterior roads surrounding the mall and highlighted in green were reopened.

Police say Darion Aguilar, 19, of College Park, walked into the Columbia Mall and shot and killed two people before turning the gun on himself.

Witnesses recounted the circumstances surrounding the Columbia Mall shooting and their reactions to the events as they unfolded.

Jayne Miller reports from Columbia Mall, where three people were fatally shot.

Howard County police said three people were killed and five others were injured when a shooter opened fire in Columbia Mall Saturday morning.

Howard County General Hospital through its Twitter page said, "All 5 patients from the shooting at the Mall in Columbia have been treated and released."

A mall employee and witnesses describe a chaotic scene as people moved to safety after a shooting at the Mall in Columbia.

A store employee at the Mall in Columbia describes the circumstances during a shooting at the mall

Police said three people were shot and killed in a skate shop called Zumiez on mall's upper level.

Howard County Police Chief William J. McMahon at press briefing.

Howard County Police Chief William J. McMahon at press briefing.

Police say Darion Aguilar, 19, of College Park, walked into the Columbia Mall and shot and killed two people before turning the gun on himself.

Jan. 27: Officers take down police tape surrounding the Columbia Mall as it prepares to reopen Monday, two days after a teen shot and killed two people before killing himself.

As the Columbia Mall prepares to reopen after Saturday's fatal shooting, Zumiez, the store where two employees were killed, is partitioned off from the public.

A sign outside the Zumiez store expresses condolences to the families of the victims.

Jan 27: A memorial to the victims of Saturday's shooting is set up inside the Columbia Mall as it prepares to reopen.

A memorial has been set up outside the mall, too.

Flowers sit at one of the memorials for the victims of the Columbia Mall shooting.

Rep. Elijah Cummings, Howard County Executive Ken Ulman and other officials took time Monday to patronize Columbia Mall.

Rep. Elijah Cummings, Howard County Executive Ken Ulman and other officials took time Monday to patronize Columbia Mall.

This is a kiosk at the Mall in Columbia that looked like this just a few hours before the mall reopened Monday. It appears the employees at the skin care kiosk ran for safety when they heard the shots and left everything behind.

One of the memory books where people can also drop a flower into the water to honor Brianna Benlolo and Tyler Johnson.

These flag poles are just a few yards from the memorial outside the mall.

Forty years ago, one of the greatest boxing matches in history took place in an unlikely setting: the capital of the Philippines. Muhammad Ali's epic win over great rival Joe Frazier in 1975 became known as the "Thrilla in Manila."